Peregian's a real community

SITTING in the village square of Peregian Beach shopping centre, enjoying a coffee, it became real to us that this locality felt right, it felt nice; like home.

Kelly Wilson was recounting how, a few months earlier, they found their piece of the Sunshine Coast. She and her partner Tony had bought a house further south when they relocated from Tasmania 18 months earlier but they sensed there was something lacking – they just didn’t know what.

“We had considered so many areas of the Coast but it was being in the midst of the village atmosphere here at Peregian where it all came together for us,” Kelly explained.

“We were sitting in the square enjoying a coffee and soaking up the ambience and sense of community, there was no doubt in our minds that this was it.

“Coming from an area surrounded by beach and National Park, Peregian had the qualities we felt comfortable with.

“Another factor was the lay of the land. Being surrounded by national park it was not going to grow and grow, it would retain its charm, and this was important to us.

“We began house hunting which is yet another story. Sitting enjoying a coffee again, this time at Point Cartwright the cafe owners asked if we were local, we replied that yes we were for the time being, but were looking to relocate to Peregian. They told us their brother was selling his house there.

“The next morning we took our bikes and rode the area around this home. We were there on the footpath when he came out, we chatted and he invited us in.

“We love the sense of community. We don’t need to leave the area for anything, it’s all there – medical, business and general needs. The business people work together, they’re very friendly. The school bus is at the door – so easy.

“Peregian has something we haven’t experienced elsewhere on the Coast. It’s a lovely feel, a village atmosphere, family orientated with lots of young children in the area – that creates a nice environment, a safe space.”

Peregian started out as wartime military firing range. TM Burke was granted development and marketing rights and in 1959 opened the Noosa Coastal Highway linking Coolum and Noosa Heads. The area adjacent to the beach was named Peregian after the nearby Emu Mountain – Peregian meaning “emu” in the local Aboriginal dialect.

The first subdivisions and motel block were completed in 1962 and Peregian Beach started its rise as a holiday destination, surfing mecca and place to settle.

The Gorrie’s general store was a focal point and, in the mid ’60s, a public swimming pool in what is now the Village Square, a caravan park and other shops were added. A price list from that time shows that beachfront blocks could be purchased for the equivalent of $1000 to $2000. These blocks, if available now, are valued at close to $2 million.

Through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, as more land was released, the attraction of the village was further confirmed by holidaymakers and settlers alike. Houses and small unit developments ranged from fibro beach shacks to modern family homes. The essence of Peregian’s popularity remains the same today. The beachside village centre has the relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere lost in so many other locations.

The coastal settlement is bounded by kilometres of unspoilt ocean beach and further surrounded by national and environmental parks. Some beautiful homes have been built on the strip of sand dunes wedged between the blue of the ocean and the green of the national park. In the village, boutiques and the cafe culture have flourished along with the time-honoured services such as the butcher, baker, newsagent and corner supermarket.

Yet we also saw the creation of the Peregian Surf Club. The hotel has a beach feel to it, there are professional services and almost double the commercial space with the adjacent Peregian Boardwalk development and Marquesas commercial on the other side of the David Low Way, along with the acclaimed Peregian Beach Community Centre.

Peregian is also legendary for its beach markets and performances of the Peregian Originals music sessions. The markets enjoyed monthly on the first and third Sunday and each Sunday during the Christmas period are well known for a large variety of arts, crafts and fresh produce. Held in the fitting surrounds of Peregian Park the day kicks off at 7am and is a great opportunity to sample the atmosphere.

As Kelly Wilson says: “If you do a search of properties in the area you’ll find a lot of the homes are still under original ownership with no sales history. Homes which have been kept in the family. Obviously a big emotional attachment for people who live here”.